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HOPI    CEREMONIAL    FRAMES    FROM 
CANON    DE   CHELLY,  ARIZONA 


BY 

Jr.   WALTER  FEWKES 


Reprinted  from  the  AMERICAN  ANTHROPOLOGIST  (N.  s. ),  Vol.  8,  No.  4, 
October-December,  1906 


Lancaster,  Pa.,  U.  S.  A. 
The  New  Era  Printing  Company 

1906 


DEPARTMENT  of  MIDDLE  AMERICAN  RESEARCH 

THE  TULANE  UNDVEttSBTYof  LOUOSDANA 
NEW 


rt  Library 

4? 

[Reprinted  from  the  AMERICAN  ANTHROPOLOGIST,  Vol.  8,  No.  4,  Oct.-Dec.,  1906.] 


rV 

HOPI    CEREMONIAL   FRAMES    FROM    CANON    D,£>  ^ 

CHELLY,    ARIZONA  &  ,O 

^    CO 

BY  J.    WALTER   FEWKES  >/ 

^ 

On  a  visit  to  the  Museum  of  the  Brooklyn  Institute  in  fikcember 

last,  I  became  greatly  interested  in  two  ethnological  specimens  ob 
tained  by  Mr  Stewart  Culin  in  Canon  de  Chelly,1  Arizona.  These 
objects,  to  which  I  have  briefly  referred  in  my  article  on  Hopi 
Shrines,2  undoubtedly  belong  to  the  Pueblo  culture.  They  are 
not  duplicated  in  other  collections,  and  have  a  much  greater  interest 
than  attaches  to  their  rarity,  for  they  seem  to  verify  a  legend,  cur 
rent  in  the  East  Mesa  pueblos  of  the  Hopi,  of  the  former  habitation 
and  migration  of  one  of  their  important  clans.  They  consist  of 
wooden  frames  with  sliding  appendages,  handles,  and  symbolic  at 
tachments.  Their  general  appearance  is  shown  in  the  accompany 
ing  illustrations  (figures  22  and  23). 

Mr  Culin  informs  me  that  these  frames  were  found  with  certain 
fragments  of  masks,  a  brief  account  of  which  has  been  published  3 
in  a  notice  that  gives  also  a  Navaho  legend  regarding  the  origin  of 
the  masks  and  closes  with  a  suggestion  that  they  once  belonged  to 
the  Asa  clan,  a  Tanoan  people  now  domiciled  in  the  Hopi  pueblo  of 
Sichomovi,  who  are  known  to  have  lived  at  Zuni  and  to  have 
sojourned  in  the  Canon  de  Chelly  for  several  years.4  No  reference 
to  these  frames  is  made  in  Mr  Culin's  account,  and  as  the  evidence 
of  Asa  ownership  which  they  furnish  is  corroborative  and  more  de- 


1  These  objects  were  purchased  from  Mr  C.  L.  Day  by  Mr  Culin,  curator  of  ethnology 
of  the  Brooklyn  Institute  Museum,  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  many  kindnesses  in  the 
preparation  of  this  notice. 

2  American  Anthropologist,  VII,  April-June,  1906. 

3  "  Hopi  Indian   Masks  from  a  Cave  in  the  Canon  de  Chelly,  Arizona,"  Bulletin  of 
the  Brooklyn  Institute,  Jan.  6,  1906. 

*  "  The  Kinship  of  a  Tanoan-speaking  Community  in  Tusayan,"  American  Anthro 
pologist,  1894,  vui,  p.  164-165  :  "It  is  likewise  said  that  after  they  (the  Asa)  had 
lived  some  time  with  the  Hopi  a  number  of  them  wandered  off  to  the  Tseyi  ["  Chelly  "] 
Canon  and  intermarried  with  Athapascan  (Navaho)  tribes." 

664 


665 


AMERICAN   ANTHROPOLOGIST 


[N.  s.,  8,  1906 


cisive  than  that  afforded  by  the  fragments  of  masks,  I  have  ventured 
to  supplement  and  support  by  additional  facts  the  notice  referred  to. 
An  examination  of  one  of  these  frames  shows  its  general  form  as 
given  in  the  figure,  in  which  a,  a'  is  a  wooden  bar,  apparently  in  one 
piece,  in  which  are  cut  two  slots  (b,  b').  This  bar  has  a  round 
handle  (c)  midway  of  its  length,  opposite  a  terrace  (d)  symbolizing 


FIG.  22.  — Frame  carried  by  Yaya  priest.      (Brooklyn  Institute  Museum.) 

a  rain  cloud.  Two  pendants  (c,  ef)  slide  freely  in  the  slots  (b,  bf), 
so  that  if  the  bar  be  moved  violently  sidewise,  these  appendages 
strike  the  ends  and  the  middle,  making  a  noise  and  suggesting  a 
rattle.  Similar  frames  still  used  by  the  Hopi  in  ceremonies  at  their 
East  Mesa  villages  were  figured  several  years  ago  in  a  picture  of  a 
priest  introduced  in  my  account  of  "The  Lesser  New  Fire  Ceremony 
at  Walpi,"  and  later  reproduced  in  a  series  of  native  drawings  of 
Hopi  kachinas.1  These  illustrations  represent  masked  men  called 
Sumaikoli  and  Kawikoli,  accompanied  by  priests  known  as  Yayas 
bearing  in  their  hands  similar  frames. 

Apparently  Mrs  Stevenson  refers  to  frames  of  identical  shape  in 


1  American  Anthropologist,   1901,  n.  s.,  in,  438,  pi.   xi ;    also   Twenty-first  An 
nual  Report  of  the  Bureau  of  American  Ethnology ',  pi.  xxxiv,  xxxv. 


FEWKESj 


HOPI  CEREMONIAL   FRAMES 


666 


her  description  of  the  Shumaakwe  ceremony  at  Zufii.1 
as  follows  : 


She  writes 


A  charm  fashioned  of  wood  and  similar  to  one  of  the  bars  of  the  suspended 
form  above  the  altar  is  carried  by  a  young  man  whenever  the  Shumai/koli  ap 
pears,  the  bearer  manipulating  the  bar  before  the  god,  which  appears  to  have 
mystic  control  over  the  Shumai/koli.  The  writer  has  observed  the  same  thing 
among  the  Hopi  Indians. 


a 


FIG.  23.  —  Frame  carried  by  Yaya  priest ;  length  24  in.      (Brooklyn  Institute  Mu- 
eum,  cat.  no.  5633.) 

The  same  author  says  also  : 

Whenever  he  [the  charm-bearer]  waves  the  charm  the  Shumaikoli  backs 
off  a  distance  and  then  starts  forward  while  the  charm-bearer  vigorously 
manipulates  the  charm  to  draw  the  god  to  him. 

And  later: 

The  charm -bearer  stands  south  of  her  [the  female  leader] ,  facing  east, 
and  holds  his  charm  above  his  face  with  his  left  hand  and  shakes  a  small  gourd 
rattle  with  his  right,  while  he  sings  a  low  chant,  reminding  one  of  the  intoning 
of  a  Catholic  priest.2 


1  Twenty-third  Annual  Report  of  the  Bureau  of  American  Ethnology,  p.  540,  543, 
548-549. 

2  The  Saiapa  who  accompany  the  Zuni  Shumaikoli  correspond  in  some  respects  to  the 
Kawikoli  of   the  Hopi.     The  Zuni  Shumaikoli  is  of  course  the  same  as  the  Walpi 
Sumaikoli. 


667  AMERICAN  ANTHROPOLOGIST  [N.  s.,  8,  1906 

It  appears  that  the  main  purpose  of  the  ceremony  of  the  Sumai- 
koli  of  the  Hopi  and  its  equivalent,  the  Shumaikoli  at  Zuni,  is  the 
same.  Both  are  fire  rites ;  both  were  derived  from  Rio  Grande 
pueblos. 

The  true  significance  of  these  frames  is  unknown,  but  the  respect 
paid  to  them  seems  to  indicate  that  they  are  something  more  than 
rattles  of  unusual  shape.  In  her  representations  of  the  Shumaakwe 
altar  Mrs  Stevenson  figures  a  cross  hanging  above  it,  made  of  two  l 
of  these  frames  united,  a  symbol  that  the  Hopi  would  interpret  as 
a  sky,  star,  or  four-world-quarter  symbol. 

Of  the  nature  of  the  rites  that  are  performed  when  these  objects 
are  employed  we  may  judge  in  part  from  a  study  of  both  Hopi  and 
Zuni  variants  of  the  Sumaikoli  ceremony.  The  ceremony  recalls 
in  several  particulars  the  Fire  dance  of  the  Navaho. 

The  Yaya  priesthood  claim  wonderful  magic  powers  in  control 
ling  fire 2  and  say  they  are  able  to  cure  certain  bodily  ailments  with  its 
products  —  heat,  ashes,  and  smoke.  Their  patroness  is  the  Spider- 
woman,  but  they  worship  also  the  Sky-god,  symbolized  by  the  Sun, 
and  Masauu,  the  God  of  Death.  They  call  upon  ancestral  beings, 
known  as  Sumaikoli,  distributed  in  the  four  cardinal  directions,  to 
bring  rain,  and  in  the  course  of  their  rites  they  make  prayer-offerings 
to  all  these  supernaturals. 

The  important  point  to  be  considered  regarding  these  frames  is 
their  clan  ownership.  We  know  that  their  modern  representatives 
belong  to  the  Yaya  priesthood,  hence  it  is  desirable  to  discover  the 
clan  kinships  or  affiliations  of  this  fraternity.  The  Yaya  were  intro- 

1  Note  that  two  of  these  frames  were  found  together  in  the  Canon  de  Chelly  cave. 
This  would  imply  that  they  were  sometimes  fastened  together  in  the  form  of  a  cross,  as 
at  Zuni  ;  but  their  handles  show  that  they  were  carried  in  the  hand  as  seen  in  Hopi  pic 
tures  of  the  Yaya  priests.  They  were  apparently  rattles,  suggesting  the  matracns  used 
for  bells  in  Latin  American  countries  on  Good  Friday.  These  matracas  are  commonly 
carried  in  the  hands  and  are  used  during  the  tenebraty  but  sometimes,  as  at  Jalapa,  Mexico, 
the  matraca  is  placed  in  the  church  belfry.  It  is  a  large  wheel  with  a  clapper,  and 
when  turned  can  be  heard  all  over  the  city. 

2 1  need  not  here  relate  the  many  stories  of  handling  fire,  with  accompanying  necro 
mancy,  that  the  Yaya  ascribe  to  their  ancients.  They  even  claim  to  be  able  to  eat  fire, 
or  to  put  live  coals  into  their  mouths,  which  may  well  be  doubted.  Their  claim  to  cure 
bodily  ailments  with  fire  reminds  one  of  the  principle  " similia  simi Hints  curantur." 
Burning  sensations  of  the  skin  supposed  to  be  due  to  fire  are,  they  hold,  cured  by  fire  and 
its  products. 


FEWKES] 


HOPI  CEREMONIAL   FRAMES 


668 


0 


duced  into  Walpi  by  either  Keresan  or  Tanoan  clans,  either  directly 
or  by  way  of  Zufii,  and  thl?  'm^qjjuqtjoti  is  commonly  said  to  have 
taken  place  in  comparative!^  moidf/iK  $rnes.  The  Asa  clan,  who 
claim  that  their  ancestors  Ijvep!  in,  ,the ,  Canon,  «ie,  Chelly,  are  of 
Tanoan  origin  ati'd  arc  s!iiid  tr>  haV^,  b^en  related  to  the 
Tewa  of1  rfano  ana  of  the  Rio  Grande  pueblos.  The 
presumption  is  reasonable  that  these  frames  were  Asa 
property.  If  such  be  the  case  the  exact  site  of  the 
habitation  of  this  clan  in  the  Canon  de  Chelly  may 
be  determined  by  the  situation  of  the  cave  in  which 
the  Sumaikoli  paraphernalia  were  found.  But  the  fact 
must  not  be  overlooked  that  the  present  Sumaikoli 
chief  is  a  member  of  the  Badger  clan  l  who  are  closely 
associated  with  the  other  Tanoan  peoples.  Moreover, 
there  are  two  sets  of  Sumaikoli  paraphernalia  on  the 
East  mesa :  one  at  Walpi,  the  other  at  Hano.  The 
latter,  formerly  owned  by  the  Sun  clan,  may  have 
been  brought  by  the  ancestors  of  the  Hano  clans 
directly  from  the  Rio  Grande. 

According  to  Museum  Notes  (the  article  above 
cited),  there  were  other  ceremonial  paraphernalia  found 
in  a  bag  with  these  fragments.  What  light  do  they 
throw  on  the  clan  ownership  of  the  specimens  here 
considered  ?  One  of  these  objects  is  a  peculiarly  fer- 
ruled  stick  (figure  24)  the  use  of  which  is  problem 
atical.  This  stick  is,  I  believe,  a  Sumaikoli  standard, 
which  was  placed  at  the  entrance  to  the  room  where 
the  altar  of  this  ceremony  was  erected,  for  a  similar 
standard  is  still  used  at  Walpi  when  the  Sumaikoli  is 
celebrated.  The  modern  representative  consists  of 
two  ferruled  sticks  with  facets  at  the  ends.  One  of 
In  these  is  like  the  above-mentioned  specimen,  the  other 
stitute  Muse-  has  a  hollow  gourd  attached  at  one  end.  When  the 
um,  cat.  no.  secret  rites  are  in  progress  these  sticks  are  stuck  in 
the  straw  covering  of  the  kiva  to  indicate  that  such 

1  The  Badger  clan  is  sometimes  called  a  Hanumnyamu,  or  Tewa  people,  akin  to  the 
Asa  and  Hano  clans.  It  was  associated  with  the  former  in  founding  Sichomovi  after  the 
return  from  the  Canon  de  Chelly. 


la 


FIG.  24.  — 
Sumaikoli 
standard  ; 
34    in. 


669  AMERICAN  ANTHROPOLOGIS7"  [N.  s.,  8,  1906 

rites  are  taking  place  in  the  room  below.  The  Canon  de  Chelly 
stick  is  much  more  dabcr-a^te  >Jian,  |:he»standard  now  used  at  Walpi 
and  may  have  served  fo?  ^netfyeir  piirp^qse.1 

The  evidence.  tfra,wn  from.  (tfye  fragments  of  masks  found  with 
their  frames  'tpiiiactes  ;,wj,ih  tl^ai  ,-of  ;<tc  letter, *  for  like  them  the 
masks  are  preeminently  those  bf'Reresari  and  Tanoan  peoples. 
According  to  the  article  cited  these  masks  belong  to  the  Humis 
and  Shalako  kachinas,  both  of  which  were  introduced  into  the  Hopi 
pueblos  from  the  Rio  Grande. 

The  Humis,  or  Hemis,  kachina  among  the  Hopi  is  said  to  have 
been  derived  from  Jemez,  New  Mexico.  Naturally  it  is  a  favorite 
with  both  the  Badger  and  the  Asa,  as  well  as  with  all  other  clans 
of  eastern  origin.  The  material  from  the  Canon  de  Chelly  is  a 
framework  and  a  painted  skin,  its  former  cover,  that  has  been  identi 
fied  as  the  "tablet"  2  of  a  Humis-kachina  helmet. 

A  Shalako  mask  also  is  mentioned  as  having  been  found  with 
the  Humis  mask.  This  mask  I  have  not  seen,  but  as  the  Zuni 
Shalako  at  Sichomovi  was  introduced  from  the  former  pueblo 
about  forty  years  ago  by  the  Badger  clan,  the  occurrence  in  the  cave 
of  a  fragment  of  a  mask  with  other  dance  paraphernalia  of  the 
Badger  and  Asa  clans  is  readily  explained.  The  Hopi  Shalako  was 
brought  to  Walpi  by  clans  from  the  ancient  settlements  along  the 
Little  Colorado. 

The  Sumaikoli  frames  and  standard,  together  with  the  masks  and 
other  paraphernalia  found  in  the  Canon  de  Chelly  cave,  verify  the 
legends  of  a  comparatively  late  occupancy  of  certain  cliff-dwellings 
in  this  region  by  people  from  the  East  mesa.  They  point  distinctly 
to  the  Asa  clan  as  their  probable  owners.  Taken  in  connection  with 
other  evidences  they  support  the  conclusion  that  some  of  the  cliff- 
houses  of  that  canon  were  inhabited  in  comparatively  recent  time. 
The  so-called  Hopi  pottery  found  in  the  canon  is  not  unlike  that 
now  manufactured  by  Tewa  potters ;  and  to  these  people,  no  doubt, 
can  be  traced  the  peach  tree  and  the  presence  of  sheep,  both  of 

1  A  similar  problematical  object  was  found  at  Sikyatki  and  another  at  Awatobi,  which 
would  further  indicate  eastern  influences  in  these  pueblos. 

2  These  tablets  are  now  generally  made  of  thin  boards,  but  formerly  they  were  manu 
factured  of  skin  or  cloth  stretched  over  a  support. 


FEWKES]  HOPI  CEREMONIAL   FRAMES  6/O 

which  prove  post-Spanish  occupancy  by  them  of  this  section.  I 
believe  the  specimens  above  considered  are  most  instructive  verifi 
cations  of  Asa  and  Badger  clan  traditions. 

It  might  pertinently  be  asked,  "  Why  could  not  these  objects 
have  been  derived  from  Zuni  or  possibly  directly  from  the  Rio 
Grande  pueblos,  in  both  of  which  localities  the  Sumaikoli  culture 
exists  and  in  some  of  which  similar  paraphernalia  are  still  used  ?" 
Migratory  bands  were  continually  passing  near  the  entrance  to  the 
canon  where  the  paraphernalia  were  found,  in  their  journey  from  the 
Rio  Grande  region  to  the  Hopi  pueblos,  and  some  of  these  migrants 
may  have  lagged  behind  or  tarried  there  for  a  longer  or  shorter  time, 
and  may  have  left  some  of  their  religious  paraphernalia  in  that 
region.  While  no  evidence  afforded  by  the  specimens  makes  this 
supposition  impossible,  the  Navaho  legend  that  led  to  the  discovery 
of  these  objects  is  so  explicit  that  we  must  conclude  that  the 
descendants  of  their  owners  now  inhabit  pueblos  on  the  East  mesa. 
Although  the  Asa  tradition  of  their  life  in  Canon  de  Chelly  is  cir 
cumstantial,  it  is  not  impossible,  considering  the  kinship  of  the  clans, 
that  some  of  the  Badger  people  accompanied  the  Asa  when  the 
latter  sought  a  home  in  that  place.  At  least  we  may  definitely  say 
that  the  frames,  standard,  and  fragments  of  masks  here  considered 
formerly  belonged  to  Hopi  rather  than  to  Zuni  or  Rio  Grande 
people,  but  that  the  clans  which  owned  them  originally  came  from 
the  pueblos  of  the  latter.  Although  there  is  strong  evidence  that 
these  frames  pertain  to  the  Asa  and  Badger  clans,  it  has  not  yet 
been  conclusively  shown  which  of  these  people  introduced  them 
into  the  East  Mesa  pueblos. 

Strictly  speaking,  these  objects  are  not  distinctly  characteristic  of 
the  most  ancient  Hopi,  but  belong  to  that  early  culture  widely 
spread  over  the  Southwest  from  which  the  Hopi  have  derived  much 
of  their  mythology  and  ritual.  They  were  introduced  from  those 
eastern  pueblos  which  have  contributed  to  the  Hopi  the  major 
portion  of  their  religious  paraphernalia,  as  well  as  prayers  and 
songs,  and  their  introduction  is  so  recent  that  even  the  clans  which 
brought  them  are  not  wholly  unknown. 

BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY, 
WASHINGTON,  D.  C. 


